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Looking back on 40 years in business, Mark MacKenzie still remembers opening new stores as a highlight.
“It’s like buying a new house,” he said.
The owner of Mark Anthony’s opened his first store at just 20 years of age at South Point Shopping Centre.
The centre, now shut down, was located opposite the pool and was Wagga’s first shopping centre.
When he first opened it was just a menswear store and was called Mark Anthony’s Menswear and Jeanery.
His first move was into the Sturt Mall after seeing a need to move into the mall to get closer to the main street.
When the Sturt Mall store opened he was the only menswear store inside.
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“We were the new kids on the block, everyone else was on the main street,” Mr MacKenzie said.
It was at this point he moved into surf and skate labels, and away from suits and ties.
As the store continued to grow Mr MacKenzie wanted street frontage.
The store was moved to Baylis Street 23 years ago, where it still stands today.
Changing locations hasn’t been the only big changes with the stock also changing significantly.
Mr MacKenzie still remembers the first order of pink shirts when the main colours were black, blue and fawn.
“I bought heaps and I never thought I’d sell it, but we sold out,” Mr MacKenzie said. “People were craving a bit of colour.”
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